For a Project Manager in Fabrication and Metalworking, understanding the distinction
between Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) is crucial for ensuring that the
product meets the required standards and specifications.
Quality Control (QC):
Definition: Quality Control is the process of inspecting, measuring, and testing the products
at various stages of production to ensure that they meet specifications. It focuses on
detecting defects at every stage to avoid a defective final product.
Purpose: The goal of Quality Control is to identify and fix defects or variations in the product
as it is being produced. It is typically a post-facto yet planned process where problems are
addressed as they occur. Hence, it is often termed as a reactive process where defects are
fixed after they occur.
Examples include testing the strength of metal parts, checking for cracks or dimensional
accuracy, during or after fabrication. Tools such as calipers, micrometers, or hardness
testers are used to verify match with design specifications.
Quality Assurance (QA):
Definition: Quality Assurance is a broader, proactive process that ensures the systems,
processes, and methods used during the entire production cycle prevent defects from
happening in the first place. It is about creating conducive conditions for high-quality
products and reducing the probability of defects.
Purpose: The goal of Quality Assurance is to prevent defects by improving processes and
systems. It includes review procedures, training, and continual improvement of production
methods, while ensuring compliance with industry standards.
Examples involve establishing and maintaining effective manufacturing protocols, ensuring
employee training, and using preventive measures like equipment maintenance to ensure
that production consistently produces defect-free products.
Key Difference:
QC pertains detection and correction, while QA addresses prevention and process
improvement.
In summary, Project Managers in Metalworking can think of QC as checking the product to
ensure it’s right and QA is assuring the entire production process is designed to reduce the
chance of things going wrong in the first place. Both are critical for delivering high-quality
fabricated products on time and within budget.
